A SEX offender caught with more than 1,600 child abuse images has admitted wishing he had a time machine to help curb his sexual desires.

Peter Judge told Oxford Crown Court he wanted to go back in time to stop himself viewing the indecent images involving victims as young as six-months-old.

The former Debenhams warehouse worker told Judge Peter Ross he was unsure why he hunted for the images but was worried about being deemed a paedophile.

Judge, who decided to represent himself during the hearing yesterday, said: "I have never done anything before. This was the one time I did something and it wasn't good. I wish I had a time machine and go back and change it all."

Prosecutor Cathy Olliver said police forced entry into Judge's Temple Cowley home, discovering a Toshiba laptop and PlayStation which contained the images on March 25.

She said the 34-year-old, who was not home at the time, was later arrested and officers seized his iPhone also containing indecent images.

He admitted one count of possessing prohibited images of a child and three counts of making indecent photographs of a child between May 2013 and March 2015.

Sentencing, Judge Ross said: "Children are being abused all around the world in order to satisfy the perverted desires of people like you. It is appalling."

Judge, of Salesian House, Crescent Road, Oxford, was handed a three-year community order with a sex offenders treatment programme requirement, a 60-day rehabilitation activity requirement, a further programme requirement and 200 hours unpaid work.

He was made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, must sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and pay a victim surcharge.

Judge Ross also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the seized devices.